My Lords, I echo the tributes made to the noble Baroness, Lady Newlove. Our thoughts are with her family today.
This Bill is important. The UK has one of the highest rates of imprisonment in Europe and one of the highest rates of reoffending. People in our prisons are not typical of people in Brita…
I join with the noble and learned Lord, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, in welcoming the Minister to the Dispatch Box.
Our legal system is based on the principle of fairness. This country prides itself on its judiciary. Trial for serious offences by judge and jury is a cornerstone of our criminal justice …
I strongly welcome this opportunity to speak in support of the Bill introduced by my honourable friend Tracy Gilbert. As has been said, and I am sure we all agree, it is vital to ensure that all electors are able to participate in the process and choose those who represent them. While many people wi…
My Lords, I too pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Woodley, for all that he has done, is doing and, I am sure, will continue to do to try to remedy the kind of injustice that he has outlined.
Before I turn to the options put before us, I would like to say something about that injustice. It is larg…
I shall speak to the amendments in my name. By way of background, we have had the benefit of the noble Baroness, Lady Harris of Richmond, speaking about what makes this issue what I would describe ultimately as a hearts-and-minds issue. The acquisition of the Crown Estate in Wales by conquest and in…
My Lords, I will be brief. I separated out this amendment because it deals with an issue we too often neglect when we speak about devolution: the working of the union. It seems to me that the debate on the previous amendments brought into clear focus a failure to distinguish the positives of devolut…
My Lords, I wish to add a few sentences to what the right reverend Prelate said. I preface that by noting that, when we built the Sentencing Council, the legislation was discussed and agreed. It was clear when this Bill was introduced that discussion and agreement were needed. I find it very disappo…
My Lords, I too add to the welcome that has been given to David Gauke’s review and the Government’s response to it. I agree with the noble Lord, Lord Baker, when he said, “Let us try to approach this in a non-political manner”, but I fear that is probably pie in the sky. I shall put it in a slightly…
My Lords, I declare my interest as Anglican Bishop for prisons. I am grateful to be speaking in this Second Reading debate. I too greatly look forward to the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Nichols. Having said that, I do not believe this is a debate we should be having at all. I do not be…